#29 - Best of 2012 in Music, Part 3

This shit right here makes me feel happy.

Or trippy.

I'm not quite sure which is which, or in fact when did the two ever took different path. I always thought that the two are like separated-at-birth sibling and had never once in their entire existence crossed path. Or, are they? Maybe they just pretend to be like all separated at birth and don't know each other, but deep down inside they know they totally relate with each other but just too embarrassed to admit it so that other people can't call them gay or something.

Huh, why are you even reading this? Listen to this instead:

It made you happy right? I know - I know. No need to thank me... so says myself as I ride my trusted old steed into the disappearing sunset while our eyes glisten from the sunlight, my hair flowing smoothly to the wind blowing in our direction...

#28 - Dragon Back Run 2013, Meru

No - that exasperated smile is because of the bright sun, not because trying to withhold a boner

Four hours before the race...

As usual, my routine on race day, I woke up at 3 a.m. to prepare myself a light breakfast. I made a mental note to myself right before I go to bed: "five more slices of Gardenia bread, and one-fifth of the chunky peanut butter - that's enough breakfast for a 10km run".

After having a morning shower (which I have to note was not at all chilly despite the fact that it was raining that night - and incidentally, quite an unusual weather pattern we are having as of late isn't it?), I went to the kitchen. The peanut butter sandwich beckons.

Dun, dun, duuunnn...

But, as I was contemplating on how many peanut butter sandwich I should down that morning, I saw something, sitting dormant on the stove top.

Something delicious.

I peered into the kuali - it was sambal sardin. Looking at me with sultry eyes and her sexy lips spelling out "come and hit me, baby". I know where did this voluptuous femme fatale came from - I know exactly whose job was this.

It's the housemate's.

I didn't know that femme fatale is French for a horrible-looking dump truck

But oh, anyway, I have to wake him up. This race, the Dragon Back Run 2013 was all about him - it's his first running race, his first foray into running, number two, and losing weight, number one. Whatever - at least it's the healthier option.

It's half past three - I knocked on his room door. After a few while, he stumbled out of his room, looking ghastly.

"I wasn't even sleeping" he murmured.

This is not a good start...

No, not them. They are excellent.

Two hours before the race...

We drove to the Sup Urat Keting restaurant in Seksyen 7 where Lala and Ain were waiting for us. Along the way, the housemate announced something worrying - the reason why he can't get any sleep that night.

"I haven't taken any dump for the past three days", he announced.

To run the entire 10km distance with all that turd in your stomach, this is definitely not going to end well.

And all the while I keep on thinking of this guy.

I'm starting to think that the housemate's first ever running race is not going to be the most memorable to him, which is not good. I've seen him genuinely excited in the build-up to the race day, going for a training every single day. If there is a loving God, this should not have happened.

Luck has it that two shops down from the restaurant, there's a 7 Eleven. "Go get the laxative", I implored.

So he bought one. With laxative bought (but not consumed), now on to the matter of getting some sleep...

Forty minutes before the warm-up session starts...

Again, with me behind the wheels, I have to stress that I have absolutely no idea where on planet Earth Sekolah Kebangsaan Meru 2 was. But I knew how to get to Meru. Before we left house, I did saved a map to the place on my iPod.

According to the Google Map, at the four-way junction, coming from Klang, I have to take the right-hand turn and drive straight.

Oh boy - how deeply did I misjudge the excellent common sense of Malaysia's road engineers.

I only knew later, after coming home from the race, that right after the traffic light, the main road called Jalan Paip (the one which will get us to the school) diverges from the left of that other road that sprouted from the traffic light which was another road called Jalan Kenanga, which, much to our surprise, progresses from smoothly-surfaced, to the rough outback, to the surface of the moon.

Still, that's nothing.

First, right after the traffic light we saw some shophouses. Fine. Then we saw a few kampung houses on our left. Still fine. Then the road just suddenly stop. What lays ahead was a dirt road with lalang on both left and right. There's a right junction that goes to a factory.

I drove ahead.

There's a pin drop silence in my car. There was a Muslim graveyard on our left, and a Chinese graveyard on our right. And up ahead it's totally dark. Just miles and miles of graveyard. All of our logic dictated that a school cannot exist beyond all this final resting ground.

This can't be it. Has Google Map got it wrong this time?

Long story short - we came upon a roadside stall that opened very early in the morning, had the housemate asked the makcik from the stall where the school was, and quickly drove there. We made it -  we made it just in time for the warm-up session, and in one piece.

That's the triumphant stance of a guy who three hours ago, drove into a graveyard

The race...

A few days prior to the race, the name Dragon Back Run got me thinking - it's not grammatical. Alas, on the race day itself I only learn of the reason why - it is a tribute to the (steep) hilly route. Imagine running on the back of a dragon.

I know - I can't, too.

Anyway, for this race, I was adamant that I'm not going to take this race seriously, and that I'm here just to give encouragement and support to the housemate. It is, after all, his first running race. Huh - why does it feel like deja vu?

The first 3.5km of the race we maintained a leisurely 7min/km pace, many times reminding the housemate that there will be eight hill climb overall from start to finish. The first hill we encountered wasn't very steep. No sweat.

But then, as we go down the first hill, and as we turn into the left-hand corner, there it was: standing right in front of us, looking very intimidating. I let out a laugh: "This very much reminds me of UPM". Holy shit balls, it was steep, and a very long climb at that.

"So, this is only the second inclination. There will be six more to come"

Holy shit balls, this dragon back needs an Ogawa or something.

The Ogawa massage chair - it will iron out your crooked back

Still, I'm not too worried of myself. I'm doing pretty good. If I open the tap a bit and run at my usual 5min/km pace, then I would find myself in a big trouble. Eight hill climb is not my biggest issue here - it's the steepness of each one of them - except inclination number one and eight, which was mild.

Oh, and did I mention that this is also Lala and Ain's first running race as well? Because this piece of information too is important because...

After the race...

I finished in 50th - my very late sprint to the finishing line starting at the 7km mark did not bear much fruit. The housemate finished in 91st - a commendable finish for someone who is, well, fat for his frame. Haha. Ain was the slowest of the four of us, finishing at one hour and thirty something minutes.

And as for Lala - despite taking over her with only 1.5km left, and leaving her behind for a good two minutes at the finishing line, she finished in third.

Third, for crying out loud. That's a podium finish. Damn it. I've been running competitively for two solid years and I've never got anywhere near the podium.

Alas, it was an enjoyable race for the four of us. Yup - I think I'll come back again Meru.

#27 - Receipt of Good Health

Thanks to Herbalife for the free body composition analysis... thing. After four years of living healthily and dieting properly, the result is all written down on this piece of... receipt? Voucher? Slip? I don't know - all I know, and all that really matters is that, deep down inside, I'm 18 years old. University years! Woohoo!

University years... woohoo?

#26 - Saucony Virrata (February 2013)

The one thing that I am absolutely looking forward to in 2013 is the release of an entirely brand-new running shoe model from Saucony called Virrata.

The news was first reported on the Running Warehouse blog in July 2012, and followed by this interview with the VP of Footwear at Saucony, it is confirmed that the Virrata will be available by next month.

What made this model particularly exciting for me is that, as lightly put by the Running Warehouse people themselves, the Virrata is a lighter, lower, and more flexible version of the Kinvara - the one shoe that I already absolutely love.


So, 0 heel-to-toe ratio but with 18mm of material underfoot, cushioning is not at all sacrificed (unlike the Hattori, which also sports zero heel drop but without any cushioning whatsoever); and weighing at just 6.5 oz, it's Saucony's lightest shoe so far.

My lunch money for all of January and February has all of a sudden been dramatically cut down by more than 80%.

Damn.

#25 - Dragon Back Run 2013, Race Pack Collection

Date: 12 January 2013
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Starting Point: Seksyen 15, Bandar Baru Bangi
Destination: Pacers Sports Enterprise, Jalan Mohd Tahir, Off Sungai Jati, Klang

Act 1: Race Shirt Collection

It was a glorious Saturday afternoon, and with the housemate and our two other friends, we were all set out for a journey never taken by any of us to (what I recall is a Hellhole) the royal town of Klang. I mean, I have been to Meru last year, once, for my nephew's kenduri kahwin. Then there was the Pesta Sayap 2012, though held at Kuala Selangor, where we did traveled through the fringes of Klang towards Kapar.

And of course when I said 'we traveled' I mean 'I was the driver'. Nothing wrong with that - it was my car anyway.

As seen here, at a restaurant called Papa Seafood, just outside the town of Kapar, having dinner.

Anyway, that was Pesta Sayap, and way back in September. This time though we have to get to the Klang town, and look for this sporting goods store. Or something. I did a Google map search for the place a few days prior, but as I was not THAT familiar with Klang, I had some reservation with my knowledge and confidence. The housemate, having zero knowledge of anything that was about to transpire, relied heavily on me knowing everything.

Before we left house, I recalled something slightly worrying. I asked the housemate: "Do you know the address?" His expected reply was negative.

"It's okay - we'll just ask one of the girls to Google it along the way," he then suggested. Good idea, I thought.

The Learning Channel's directors, on the other hand, have no basic grasp of what is a good idea.

Ten minutes later, we picked up Lala and Ain at Petronas Station at S.15. We were all well aware of the Perhimpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat that was to take place in KL on that day, around that time, so both the housemate and I agreed that the PLUS highway is bad idea. The only other option for us was SKVE.

As Lala was browsing through the internet, looking for the address to the shop, she announce something even more desperately worrying: the race pack collection is only until 3:00 p.m.

The time was 2:20 p.m. It's impossible, I remarked.

"We can probably make it to Klang before 3:00 p.m., but then we have to drive around and actually look for the shop that neither any of us have any idea where on planet Earth it is", I added. There was a disquieting silence for a while before Ain came with a suggestion.

"We can just call the shopkeeper to wait for us."

Said "Will wait for you guys"; immediately closes shop.

I can only thank heaven at that time that this is Malaysia, where leniency is a way of life. "What? Meeting at 9:00 a.m. you say? Let's go and have breakfast at 9:05 first."

After numerous phone calls made to one of the person-in-charge, we finally found the shop, and successfully collected our - well, to call it a race pack is an overstatement - shirt and bib. Attached with the bib is a card for reporting on the morning of the race day, and for a lucky draw.

"This is just like the MMU Rakan Muda Run. You get a free shirt, and a bib that was printed on canvas", I said to a slightly-disappointed housemate. It's his first running race by the way. He would have hated seeing my MPIB Run race pack.

Act 2: Traveling Through the Coastal Parts of Selangor

One of the itinerary of the day, as suggested by me and agreed by the housemate, was to drive all the way to Kuala Selangor to have the excellent cendol bakar. I reasoned since Klang is already like halfway there, we might as well just go straight there. And it's an excellent idea anyway since their cendol is just simply fantastic.

The only part that I don't remember, though, was that the travel from Klang to Kuala Selangor actually takes THAT long. The housemate was already driven to brink of madness, sitting in the modestly-proportioned Proton Saga, in what seemed like ages long.

We were all getting uneasier as the clock ticks by. And even more eagerer, thanks to my endless promotion of the mouth-watering cendol bakar.

It took us one and a half hour to reach there. Aided by the fact that I took the wrong junction - took the junction to Kampung Kuantan and Bestari Jaya, instead of the junction to Ijok.

But with this refreshing, icy-cool, sweet, and milky dessert waiting for us, it was a journey well-worth sitting through for.

And at only RM2 per bowl for the usual, no-frills cendol - cheap as well.

The last time I went there, there was only two other stall selling, uh, something else. This time around, I was mildly surprised to see there was a lot more stalls selling other foodstuff like laksa, bakso, and rojak and cucur udang. The otak otak seller was noticeably missing.

There was a long queue at the drive-through counter as well. A drive-through cendol. What do you know.

We bought two bowls of cendol with pulut and durian, one bowl of cendol with durian, and one bowl of cendol biasa. It puts a bright smile on everyone's faces.

Then the housemate had a bowl of laksa meletup. Very, very delicious.

After finishing our cendol, and two bowls of laksa, we made haste for our next stop: Mee Udang Banjir. Someone told me that this particular restaurant near the junction to Bestari Jaya serves the best mee udang in town, so naturally, I had to check it out.

Tell me again: we are all going for a run next weekend, right?

The verdict: just look at these three satisfied faces below.

Oh shut, this one was taken BEFORE we eat the mee udang. Ah well, suffice to say, it was really good. They use fresh prawns for the dish - you can't go wrong with that.

#24 - MPIB Run 2013, the Aftermath

Oh, how I love MPIB Run.

No, I'm not being sarcastic here - I truly actually enjoyed the race, warts and all. Or more specifically, I enjoyed the route. Being the ever-attentive listener that I am, after the race I overheard many people commented about the 'hilly' route, and how the last two or so kilometers took them by surprise ("What? 12km runners have to go straight ah?")

But the hills - yes. Maybe because it's a short run - 12 kilometers. If it's a half marathon then I would probably be cursing all the way myself. Alas, fresh from the crushing (or starving, huh) disappointment that was the Newton Challenge the week before, I've learned my lesson.

This time I come prepared. Cue evil laughter.

I said evil la - NO.

Before the race:

I set my alarm at 1:00 a.m. Enough time for me to prepare some light breakfast for post-race (Gardenia bread with chunky peanut butter), and gather all the stuff that I needed to bring along (my Cloudsurfer is ready and raring to go). I left my house at 2:30 a.m.

"But Hafeez, you are still way too early," I imagine some of you said. "Trust me - I have plans," I duly replied.

Because it's early hours of Sunday morning, the PLUS highway was mostly deserted; and being the ever-courteous driver that I am, took one of the most relaxed driving ever, cruising at between 60-70 km/h, all the way from Bangi to K.L.

As caught on the AES camera near Kajang...

Since learning from own experience that bread alone is not enough to carry me through a running race (thank you, Puchong), I was determined to have a slightly heavy meal three hours before the race starts. So you see, THAT was my plan - to have, what was actually, a very late dinner at a very early hours.

I arrived at 3:30 a.m. at here:

...to have a plate of this:

Oh boy you are so not going to finish the race after this

Why do I even order that? I just wanted to eat something. I didn't care about carbohydrate (complex, simple, what what), or the fact that it's an oily food - but it's dinner.

And I haven't got to talking about the race yet, haven't I? Huh - if none of the stuff above interest you, skip to below.

The race:

The race started with the female 12km category first, and later followed by the male 12km. I like that a lot because obviously the organizer understands deeply one thing or two about motivation.

Motivation

And you'll need tons of it because right after you cross the starting line, you take a right-hand turn into Jalan Berjasa (the name is a goldmine for lots of puns) where you are greeted with this:

There were lot more of it throughout the route which I couldn't be bothered to take the photo of, but, and here's where I justify my saying of I enjoyed the route a lot - you actually spend more time going down the hill rather than up the hill. A number of the inclination was pretty steep, yes. But overall this is a very speed-oriented track. It's good if you want to do paced runs.

And that is actually the source of my enjoyment - lots of 'catching the wind in the hair' moment. That, plus  the lively Cloudsurfer, running has never felt so much fun.

Which is the other plus point here - towards the end of 2012, I found myself struggling with my motivation in running. I asked many times myself: "Why do I run? Why not walk, or sitting down, or heck, even just lying down in front of the TV?"

I have lost that sense of enjoyment in running.

But on January 6th, 2013, running through parts of K.L. that I never knew even existed, and aided by the excellent On Cloudsurfer that keeps on impressing and surprising me, I have found once again the reason why I run.

I have found once again the reason why I join all this races.

It's not for the t-shirt or the finisher's medal or the freebies. It's not for the free breakfast served after the race.

A man did this to my bib. How dare he. HOW DARE HE.

A friend (whom will be joining his first ever 10km next two Sunday) once asked me what is it about running that makes it so enjoyable. I just smiled. I had no words to answer his question, or even to explain what do I get out of it. You have to experience it yourself - you run the distance, along with thousand other runners of various physical fitness, and persevere to the finishing line, then you will know it.

It's not in the start, it's not in the finish, but it's in the moment of it - it's in when you are running.

And I have forgotten that for my last two or three races back in 2012. How silly of me.

Thank you MPIB Run for giving me the venue to rediscover the reason why I run, and thank you Cloudsurfer for highlighting and hot-steel-stamping it in me.

Did they... did they serve free ice cream as well? Damn.

#23 - Best of 2012 in Music, Part 2

2012, as with 2010, became the milestone that marked a change in me - specifically: my preferences in music (since this entry is about music anyway). In 2010, I came across Tyler, the Creator and the Odd Future collective, and miraculously, for I have never taken even the slightest of interest in the subject matter, I understand rap music.

Before that, I can recall only a few number of hip hop songs that I knew, that I cared about, and that I actually listen to. Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode" is one - and that's because of the dramatic intro, and the line that follows: "Da-ga-da-ga-da... It's the motherfucker D-R-E... Snoop Dog!..."

I'm a lion now. Call me Snoop Lion.

There was also Eminem, circa The Marshall Mathers LP - also known as the time when Eminem was not an annoying whiny wimp who has to snarl in every song. And there was also Outkast.

And that's about it. It's a very short list.

No - you're not a rapper Fred Durst.

Anyhow - back to 2012 and this happened. Honestly, I didn't care too much about it when it went viral on the internet until his first 'proper' studio was released - and it's called Channel Orange.

Even by then, I actually didn't take notice until I saw glowing reviews from all corners - left, right, and center. I said to myself: "Well, this has got to be something special". So I listened to it - and a sea change happened again.

2010 was my introduction to hip hop - 2012 was R&B.

As a member of Odd Future, I initially thought that Frank Ocean is the odd one out because unlike the rest, he does not rap, he sings. He croons with a voice so tender he could give Ellen DeGeneres orgasm. And because he dabbles with the genre rhythm and blues, stuff like doing drugs and hookers and living the high life, wearing bling-blings does not go well with it.

Or so I thought.

I thought R&B is all about being a sensitive, gentle soul who only yearns to love and to care and to understand women. That shit was Brian McKnight.

Channel Orange on the other hand does cover all the 'unromantic' stuff like doing drugs, having sex (and being poetic about it), living the high life from the point of view of a spoiled kid, and prostitutes (refer to the video below).

But the real highlight of the album has got to be the matter of his homosexuality, and his earnestness was laid bare to all in the very poignant, powerful number called "Bad Religion". It's a forlorn song of a man who has accepted of his first love that will never be returned the favor.

Thankfully Frank Ocean doesn't do a Taylor Swift number on this one or else it is not worthy of the 'Album of the Year' accolade.

Yeah, my version of 'Album of the Year' anyway.

#22 - MPIB Run 2013, the Racepack

This is very kind of Multi Purpose Insurance (Since they are the main organizer for the race, I'll take it that it's their responsibility for everything) for providing all runners with what, I have to say, the most generous of racepacks that I have ever received.

Let me list the items down:
1) New Balance shirt
2) Race bib with B-Tag attached + 4 pins
3) Race guidebook
(The first three items are fairly standard. Now on to the free goodies.)
4) One small towel, or face towel - I don't know: what do people normally call it?
5) One packet of Corntoz mini, barbecue flavor
6) Two bottles of H-Two-O isotonic drink, one is Blackcurrant flavor, the other is original flavor, or flavorless I like to call it
7) One packet of Salonpas
8) One voucher entitling me to a 50% discount of... something. It says on the voucher sunglasses... huh...
9) One voucher entitling me to a 30% discount for New Balance-branded goods
10) One voucher for a free Body Composition Analysis, from BP Healthcare group
11) One voucher for a complimentary Neurospinal Function Index Screening & Report, from Tags Spine & Joint Specialists
12) One voucher for a complimentary visit to High 5 Bread Town in Shah Alam (Never knew such thing existed, ha!)
13) One MPIB leaflet for their travel insurance
14) One full-color article on Pilate
15) One sample unit of Bamboo Vine-Mint Handmade Soap, from CHT Manufacturing (It says it's a 'miraculous' soap)
16) One packet of Horleys-brand lemon lime flavor gel

It's... it's... lavish.

Race preparation:

For this run, I planned on running in my Cloudsurfer, since, I reasoned with myself, it's only a 12km run. I don't think I will be missing the Triumph 9's lavish cushioning that much.

As I'm typing this, it's outside to dry in the sun as I have just washed it. Too bad it is not the sunniest Saturday so far. If by tonight it is still damp, or moist, I'll have to use the Triumph 9.

I also did a 3km speed run this morning, and, in the Cloudsurfer, to familiarize myself with the 'feel' of the shoe. I'm not anticipating any problem (in the leg area) come Sunday morning.

Food preparation:

Carb-loading commenced as usual. Took in more rice than usual, and also - oh look, another cup of bubble milk tea. This is now officially the fourteenth brand, bought it at this stall in Subang Parade called Latte Mei. Their bubble milk tea is just OK-lah. Then on Friday I had another cup - the fifteenth brand, called 6 Degree Celcius, at the Mines Shopping Centre. I ordered the Assam Black Pearl Milk Tea - also OK-lah.

Mental preparation:

The past few days many people have been talking about Charlie Hebdo's publication of a comic book entitled "La Vie de Mahomet" (The Life of Muhammad). It's  an autobiography of the man, researched and written by a Muslim, and supposedly to be considered 'halal'. The only problem, as everyone would have known, is the caricature that depicts Muhammad, which in Islam is 'haram'. It's a problem, this.

And I am very much intrigued to have a go at reading it, because according to this reporter, it's a fairly tame book.

Apart from that, I also bought two copies of the Runner's World magazine, December 2012 and January 2013 issue. Should help me with my waning enthusiasm.

I also found this:

No context is needed there. I just needed to see Grumpy Cat's face. That's all. Thanks Google Image!

#21 - Best of 2012 in Music

I think it is still not too late to post (my own version of) a 'best of' list for the year 2012. And as I am frequently inclined to do, a music-centered list would be a must.

What I'm going to post here, and here on out, concurrently with posts about my running, is a list of albums from 2012 that I have listened to which have made quite an impact - personally, and universally. I know, I know - to use the term universally is a bit of a stretch, unless I'm talking about some garbage dump truck pop star whose jumble of incoherent noise is totally unavoidable no matter where you go, which most definitely I am not to.

But bet from up here, you can't hear Justin Bieber. Or Nicki Minaj.

The first album to be featured here is one that is the most recently-released and that is currently on heavy rotation, Godspeed You! Black Emperor's latest album (after a while) entitled 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!.

Released in 1st October, it has been a good whole decade since the Canadian collective last released a record. In between that period of their absence, the Black Eyed Peas had gone from a relative nobody to the biggest pop star in the world to a heap of garbage teetering towards the end of their relevance that-was-their-sixth-studio-album The Beginning.

Not pictured: a music band.

I can't even begin to describe the majesty of GY!BE's latest long player other than to just take a listen at the opening track "Mladic".

Never has my five minutes drive to office been so majestic it's like every time, I'm John Cusack driving the van-thing in the movie 2012, running away from a collapsing airport runway. No, scrap that - too majestic. Ah well, anything majestic of your choice is just as good, I suppose.

Majestic!

Gah! Kill it! Kill it with fire!

(You can purchase the album online through the Constellation Records website. MP3 files only retails at $8.)

#20 - Enjoy Green Challenge E-certificate is In!

I don't remember grinning like a half-wit at the finishing line, but there you go. That's the e-cert for finishing the inaugural EGC 15km Bukit Gasing on the 9th December.

Oh, and I finished in 55th. Four finishers in front of me might have taken the wrong route during the race, probably.